EDI rethought: automation for 430 documents per day at Bort Medical

EDI, or Electronic Data Interchange, is a helpful thing: it simplifies data exchange, connects external partners and automates processes that would otherwise have to be done manually. This was exactly what BORT, a specialist in orthopaedic aids and medical compression stockings, wanted. The company's claim to help people also applies to its own employees. When it became clear that the previous EDI solution was costing a lot of effort, time and nerves, it was clear that a new system was needed.

Of course, switching to a new software partner also involves risks. Will the collaboration work as planned? Does the product match the description? Are the effort and costs worth the result? Samuel Erz, Head of BORT IT Services, therefore asked himself which criterion, in addition to the benefits of the solution and sympathy for the consultants, was a decisive argument.

"The plus at your side." BORT doesn't just advertise with this slogan, it lives the idea: the company develops, produces and sells high-quality medical products with the aim of providing people with aids that are convincing. The core competence lies in supports and orthoses in the orthopaedics division. A comprehensive range of compression stockings has recently been added to the product range. In everything BORT does, the focus is on people: values such as quality, reliability and fair customer relations characterize the company philosophy. The company has been on the market for over 35 years and is still family-run today.

BORT is happy and comfortable implementing its software projects with the provider Konica Minolta, reseller of the Yaveon solution. So why look for another partner at all? "We were no longer satisfied with our old EDI solution from a third-party provider. Our actual partner Konica Minolta then put us in touch with Yaveon," recalls Samuel Erz. There is a wide range of EDI solutions on offer, but the decision to go with Yaveon was an easy one, explains Mr. Erz: "Many of our customers work very well with Yaveon and what better argument could there be than a personal recommendation?". To finally convince themselves, the BORT team took part in a webcast presentation and a training session at the Yaveon site in Würzburg. As expected, the presentation of the EDI solution and the initial contacts went well. An additional plus point: Yaveon and Konica Minolta are agreed software partners who tackle projects together with customers, so the decision was quickly made. It was important for Mr. Erz that there was good contact between the partners, no question: Konica Minolta supported the project right from the start, and Yaveon took over the actual implementation of the EDI project.

Right from the start, BORT realized that the collaboration with Yaveon works and that the EDI solution delivers what it promises. "It was important to us that BORT finally got the solution that would actually make their workflow easier. Mr. Erz and his team should be able to work more flexibly and happily with EDI," reports Fabian Herrmann, consultant and software developer at Yaveon.

Even before the project began, it was clear that most of the requirements could be met in the EDI standard. Individual requirements were addressed, analyzed and implemented separately.

• Connection of business partners and suppliers
• Simplified and automated exchange of data
• Use of standard-compliant barcode labels and shipping documents

• Invoice export
• Order import (receipt of digital purchase orders)
• The system reads both EDIFACT files and freely defined formats (xml individual formats)
• Time savings for BORT thanks to automated, smooth processes

Today, BORT uses a system that runs smoothly and helps the company move forward: invoices are sent automatically and incoming orders are processed. On average, around 350 documents are exported and 80 imported every day. The company now has a solution that is fully integrated into its own ERP system, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, and no longer has to rely on isolated solutions. Another benefit: because the system runs almost error-free, users hardly notice it. If a deviation does occur, BORT's own IT department can deal with it quickly and no external help is required. Even after the implementation phase, the good contact has continued and is entering a new round: a new colleague at BORT was immediately fully integrated. "A real sense of community has developed," says Samuel Erz.

Was it the right decision to tackle the project with partners Yaveon and Konica Minolta? "Absolutely," Samuel Erz is convinced. You can rely on recommendations and references.